Plant-manufactured building structure



Nov. 10, 1964 J. H. SLAYTER 3,156,018

PLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 21. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet1 1N VENTOR. JOHN H. SLAYTER BY I MAHONEYH LLER a RAMBO BY A...

ATTORNEYS Nov. 10, 1964 J. H. ISLAYTER 3, 8

PLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 21, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR. JOHN H. SLAYTER BY MAHONEY, MILLER 8 RAMBO ATTORNEYS v Nov.10, 1964 J. H. SLAYTER 3,156,018

PLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 21, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet3 INVENTOR. JOHN H- SLAYTER BY MAHONEY, MILLER 8 RAMBO MAW ' ATTORNEYSNov. 10, 1964 J. H. SLAYTER PLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE 9Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 21, 1961 INVENTOR. JOHN H. SLAYTER BY 4MAHONEY, MILLER a RAMBO BY ,V, M ATTORNEYS Nov. 10, 1964 J. H. SLAYTER3,156,018

PLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 21, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet5 FIG. 7

INVENTOR. f JOHN H. SLAYTER BY 1 MAHONEY, MILLER 8\ RAMBO ATTORNEYS Nov.10, 1964 J. H. SLAYTER 3,156,018

PLANTMANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 21, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet6 INVENTOR. JOHN H. SLAYTER BY MAHONEY, MlLLER 8\ RAMBO ATTORNEYS Nov.10, 1964 J. H. SLAYTER 3,156,018

PLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 21, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet7 E (7 Z(F F t Q"\ Q Q INVENTOR. JOHN H- SLAYTER BY MAHONEY, MILLER aRAMBO ATTORNEYS Nov. 10, 1964 I Filed Dec. 21, 1961 J. H. SLAYTERPLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE 9 She rats-Sheet 8 MAHONEY, MILLER8\ RAMBO ATTORNEYS Nov. 10, 1964 J. H. SLAYTER 3,155,018

PLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDING STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 21, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet9 [T l I V INVENTOR, M JOHN H. SLAYTER BY MAHONEY, 2 RAEZZBO livlhATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,156,018 PLANT-MANUFACTURED BUILDINGSTRUCTURE John H. Slayter, R0. Box 4311, Newark, Uhio Filed Dec. 21,1?61, Ser. No. 160534 23 Claims. (Cl. 20-2) My invention relates to aplant-manufactured building structure. It has to do, more particularly,with a modular or segmentized building structure formed of prebuiltcooperating assembled transverse sections or modules, with the structureof the assembled transverse sections or modules to be used in such abuilding structure, and with the prebuilt transverse trusses used in theformation of such building sections. It also relates to novel details ofstructure incorporated in the trusses, building sections, and thecompletely assembled building struc ture.

Extensive research and development activity has occurred in connectionwith prebuilt building structures, especially residences, in years pastand has been even more pronounced in the last few years. Many structureshave resulted from this activity and many of such structures have verydesirable features. However, it is commonly accepted that the best buyin housing today is in the mobile type house. This is due mainly to thefact that mobile houses are completely built and assembled at a factoryor plant where labor is more eflicient, due in part to availability oftools and machines and to assembly line production technique. Also,parts can be more readily standardized and more efficient purchase ofmaterial is possible. Also, so many utilities, appliances, heating andplumbing units, accessories, and so many units of furniture can beinstalled or built in at the factory and these can be bought in largequantities at a reduction in price per unit. This is also'true for theinterior finishing and decorating materials including floor tile, walland ceiling tile, carpet, paneling, and various other finishing anddecorating materials. Furthermore, mobile homes can be moved easily todesired sites and practically no site preparation is required to receivethem. Movement to a different site Without much difiiculty is possible.Even financing is more simple because the mobile type house is financedas a chattel due to the fact that because of its mobile nature it can berepossessed without undue physical difficulty.

Many attempts have been made to design and construct prebuilt buildings,especially homes, which have all these advantageous features of mobilehomes but these attempts have not been successful to any great extent.It is believed that my invention accomplishes this in such a manner thatthe resulting building structure still appeals to the buyer who isinterested in a permanent type home. Furthermore, the resulting designis such that sections can be added to the basic building as the needrequires. Because the building structure is formed of cooperatingtransverse sections or modules, the building structure can be of anypredetermined or selected initial size and can be expanded readily asnecessary or as desired. This feature is possible because the individualtransverse sections require no interior posts or partitions for support,neither are transverse walls required at the edge transverse framemembers of the sections for structural purposes. This makes my buildingstructure desirable not only for home construction but especially foruse in motels, hospitals, schools, etc. where quite often the buildingstructure required is a basic section with additional sections which areidentical with each other and to which it is desired to add moreidentical units as required. My invention comprises a modular typebuilding structure which makes all this possible. Also, the modules aresuch that they can be "ice easily loaded on a trailer or similar vehicleand transported to the use site Where they can be easily unloaded.Furthermore, the sections are so constructed that each is a completestructural unit in itself, requiring no structural support from adjacentsections when incorporated in a building, and there is no danger ofracking or twisting out of line during handling or use. After installation and assembly, the building modules or sections will cooperate witheach other to produce a weathertight building structure, which willwithstand wind pressure at all of its surfaces, roof loading such asfrom snow, and floor loading due to weight of the contents of thebuilding and traflic of people in the building. Furthermore, whenincorporated in a building structure each section is sound and vibrationinsulated and isolated from the adjacent section so that mechanical andsound vibrations are not transmitted from one section to another. Asindicated above, if necessary, the basic structure can be added to fromtime to time or the building sections can be readily separated from eachother and moved to another location for reassembly.

Many other advantageous features will be apparent from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings.

In general, this invention embodies a modular building structure made upof a plurality of transverse modules or sections which can be disposedin cooperative relationship, drawn together and clamped together withweathertight and vibration dampening joints between the modules orsections. The modules or sections rest upon and are supported upon aplurality of longitudinally extending main supporting beams upon whichthey slide when drawn into cooperative clamped relationship as indicatedabove. Each of the sections or modules includes a plurality of basictruss units which extend transversely of the sections and which arestructurally connected together. Each of these basic truss units is acomposite unit which includes a pair of supporting outer or sidecolumns, a pair of inwardly extending cantilever type truss arms whichserve to support the roof deck, and which may support ceiling panels,which meet midway of the columns, and a floor joist beam or trussportion which is connected to the lower ends of the columns. Thisarrangement is such that roof loads cause the cantilever arms to be incompression and to act through the columns to cause the floor joist tobe in tension. The

floor joist is provided with yokes midway of its ends which fit aroundand embrace the main supporting beams, preferably two parallel beams,and the entire composite truss unit is supported thereby. The floorjoist or truss portion straddles the beams at its yokes in such a mannerthat roof loads acting through the columns at the outer ends of thefloor joist tend to create a gripping action of the floor joist yokes onthe beams.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one embodiment of mybuilding structure and examples of units and structures used therein butit is to be understood that details of all these structures may bevaried as to appearance and materials without departing from basicprinciples of my invention.

In these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a general perspective view of an assembled buildingstructure, for example a house, which embodies units or structures of myinvention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of a composite transverse truss unitwhich includes roof rafters, side columns and floor joist portions.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken along line 33 ofFIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view, partly broken awa of a prefabricated andassembled transverse building sec- 3 tion which includes a plurality ofthe truss units of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing a plurality of prefabricatedbuilding sections similar to that of FIG- URE 4 along with associatedstructures in position on main supporting beams preparatory to beingmoved on said beams into cooperative clamped relationship.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detail in longitudinal section illustrating aportion of a cable arrangement used according to my invention forsliding the sections on the supporting beams into cooperativerelationship and clamping them in such relationship.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing thebuilding sections drawn and clamped together into the final assembledbuilding structure.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged edge view of substantially one-half of thetransverse building section illustrated in FIGURE 4 but showing theassociated main supporting beam.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view takensubstantially along 99 of FIGURE 5 and at the location indicated by line99 in FIGURE 8, through associated transverse building sections, andshowing the sections before they are drawn together.

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 taken substantially along 10-10of FIGURE 5 and at the location indicated by line 1010 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged sectional view through a sealing joint usedbetween the transverse building sections and of the type shown in FIGURE9 with the gasket thereof in non-compressed condition before thesections are drawn together.

FIGURE 12 is a View similar to FIGURE 11 but showing the sealing jointafter the gasket thereof has been compressed by drawing the buildingsections together as shown in FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view showing the two longitudinally extendingmain supporting beams for receiving and supporting the transversebuilding sections and illustrating supports for the beams.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through a portion ofthe assembled building structure showing the positioning of one of thetransverse truss units on the longitudinally extending main supportingbeams.

FIGURE 15 is a view similar to FIGURE 14 illustrating how weight appliedto the truss unit causes a gripping action thereof on the mainsupporting beams.

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged transverse horizontal sectional view takenalong line 16-46 of FIGURE 7 giving an example of a wall panel andwindow arrangement.

FIGURE 17 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view throughthe floor of the assembled building structure at the joint betweenadjacent sections of the building structure.

FIGURE 18 is a diagrammatic view illustrating how one of the assembledtransverse sections may be transported by a truck tractor-trailercombination.

With reference to the drawings, I have illustrated generally in FIGURE 1a building structure embodying principles and structure of my invention.The building structure shown is of the type used as a house or residencebut it is to be understood that this is merely one example of a buildingwhich can be built according to my invention. The illustrated buildingstructure consists of a plurality of transverse modules or sectionswhich are identical in basic structure but which may vary from eachother in exterior design and finish and in interior design and finish.Also, the interiors of the various sections may have built-in equipmentwhich varies from section to section. For example, usually one of thesections is a utility core or section which will contain kitchen,bathroom and heating and/or air conditioning equipment. This section maybe located relative to the other sections as desired. Other sections mayhave living room furniture built in and still other sections may havebedroom furniture built in. Thus, there may be wide variation in regardto the rela tionship and to the equipment of the various sections. Inthe example illustrated, I have shown the house as consisting of threemain sections 31, 32 and 33 but it is obvious that this number could bevaried. End trim and clamping flange sections 34- and 35 are provided toenhance the appearance of the house, and as will be clear later, to aidin clamping and holding the sections 31, 32 and 33 together.Furthermore, as will later appear, the material used in the house is notcritical but for illustrative purposes the house is shown constructedmainly of wood. However, it could be of steel or plastic or variouscombinations of wood, steel and plastic materials. Weathertight sealingand vibration dampening or insulating joints of suitable designindicated generally at 36 are provided between the various sections.

The support for the entire house is shown as consisting of thelongitudinally extending main supporting beams 37 and 38, preferably twoin number, which are disposed in parallel relationship. These beams arepreferably formed of pre-stressed reinforced concrete although theycould be of other material such as steel or wood. They may extend beyondthe ends of the basic structure even farther than as shown in FIGURE 1so additional sections can be added to the ends of the originalstructure by positioning and supporting them on the projecting beamends. Before the additional sections are added, the projecting ends ofthe beams could be used as porch or patio supports, if desired.

Supporting the various building structure sections by beams of this typesubstantially eliminates any necessary site preparation even though theland is rolling in character. These beams 37 and 38 may be suitablysupported, as indicated in FIGURES 7 and 13, by upright concrete posts40 or other posts or columns having their lower portions sunksufficiently in the ground, a pair or more of these posts preferablybeing provided for each beam depending on beam length. As shown inFIGURE 13, the posts 40 are so located that the ends of the beamsproject outwardly beyond the posts. Suitable saddles 41 may be providedat the upper ends of the posts for receiving and retaining the beams,the saddles being rigidly attached to the posts and to the beams bysuitable bolts or the like.

The basic transverse truss unit used in my building structure isillustrated in FIGURE 2 and is designated generally by the numeral 45.One-half of it is also shown clearly in FIGURE 8. As previouslyindicated, this unit is a composite unit which consists of a pair ofvertically disposed supporting outer side columns 46, a pair of inwardlyextending cantilever type truss arms 47 which ex tend inwardly from thesupporting columns, and a floor joist beam or truss portion 48 extendingbetween and secured to the lower ends of the supporting columns. Theentire unit is fabricated from suitable members which may be of wood andwhich can be joined together by suitable metal cleats or brackets 49,such as those illustrated in FIGURE 3.

The supporting columns 46 are of the type known as the bent type in theart and are of substantially triangular form. The size of the triangledepends on the stiffness of the material from which the column framesare constructed and the moment which they are required to resist. Eachcolumn 46 includes the vertically disposed load-receiving innercompression member 51 and the outwardly and upwardly extending outertension member 52 which is joined to the member 51 at its lower end, itbeing noted that the member 52 diverges upwardly from the member 51 andextends to a higher level. These members are structurally joinedtogether by means of suitable strut members and including the upper mainstrut member 53 which is connected to the upper end of the compressioncolumn member 51 and extends upwardly and outwardly to a connection withthe upper end of the tension column member 52 which diverges relative tothe member 51. All the indicated joint connections and those to bereferred to later in connection with this unit may be rigid connectionssimilar to the rigid joint connection shown in FIGURE 3.

The inwardly extending cantilever beam arms 47 meet midway of the unit45 at a mid-joint 54 which may or may not be a rigid connection. Eacharm includes an upper continuous tension member of chord 55 and a lowercontinuous compression member or chord 56. The chord members 55 and 56diverge vertically toward their outer ends from the inner end of the armat the joint 54 where they converge and meet. The chord members arestructurally tied together by means including the diagonal strut members57. The outer end of the chord member 55 is rigidly connected to theupper end of the column member 52 at a gusset joint and the outer end ofthe chord member 56 is connected to the upper end of the column 51 by agusset joint 59, the strut 53 extending between these joints asindicated. Thus, each cantilever 'arm 47 is carried by the column 46which is oi the bent type. The chord 55 is preferably inclined toprovide a pitch on the roof which it is to support.

The floor joist beam or truss portion 48 comprises the main uppercontinuous chord member 66 which extends between the lo-wer convergentends of the side columns 46 and the outer ends of which are rigidlyconnected thereto. This member serves mainly as a tensile member forpreventing outward Spreading of the lower ends of the columns 46. Thechord member 60 is braced by suitable braces which are so arranged toprovide the yoke spaces 61 and 62 which are spaced slightly outwardlyfrom the midpoint of the member 65 These braces include a center portion63 of substantially rectangular form depending from the member 60 andwhich provides the inner depending side or arm 64 of each yoke.Connected to the lower ends of the arms 64 and between these arms is achord or compression member 65. The section 63 is braced by the struts66. The ends of the chord member 60 is braced by sections 67 oftriangular form, each of which has the depending yoke arm 68 at itsinner end. Rigidly connected to the lower end of this yoke arm is achord member or compression member 69 which angles upwardly andoutwardly and is rigidly connected at its outer end to the member 69.The section 6? is braced by the diagonal strut 79.

Thus, it will be apparent that the unit 45 is a composite truss unitwhich includes roof-supporting cantilever arms carried by side columnswhich are connected together at their lower ends by a continuous floorjoist which includes the continuous tension member 63. This floor joistincludes the beam-straddling yolces having the beam spaces 61 and 62which will function in a manner to be described later.

As previously indicated, a plurality of the composite truss units 45 ofFIGURE 2 are used in producing a standard transverse module or sectionsuch as that illus trated in FIGURE 4. For clarity, I have shown two ofthese units structurally joined together to form a transverse sectionwhich would be, for example, four feet in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of the building in which it is to be used. However, inactual practice, the unit could be any multiple of this dimension in thelongitudinal direction, for example eight feet, which would consist ofthree of these truss units structurally joined together.

In joining these truss units 45 together, various braces or struts '75are provided between the aligning depending sections carried by thefloor joists 48. Similarly, various braces or struts 76 are providedbetween the chord members 56 of the cantilever arms 47. However, themore important means for structurally joining these units 45 together isthe inner skin of the module or section. This inner skin may be ofvarious materials in sheet or other form extending from one unit 47 tothe other and being rigidly fastened thereto, such as by nails, screws,cleats, or any other suitable way. For example, sheets of plywood or thelike may be used to form the continuous skin 80 as shown in FIGURE 4.This skin is formed by running the sheets between all the inner membersof the units 47, that is, between the inner chord members 69 of thefloor joists 48, between the inner chord members 51 of the side columns,and between the inner chord members 56 of the roof cantilever arms 47.This inner skin will be the main factor in preventing racking, in adirection at right angles to the transverse plane of the trusses orframes, of the section or module during transportation or use. Rackingresisting transversely or in a line parallel to the transverse frameline is inherent in each frame itself. Wherever the skin is broken bywindows or other openings, the opening framing is so arranged that itconnects the skin portions on opposite sides of the opening. With thisarrangement, stresses are transmitted effectively from one truss unit 45to the next. This inner skin, along with the transverse frame or trussunits, will, therefore, effectively resist racking of the transversebuilding section or module during transportation and after it isincorporated in the building structure. The extent of the section ormodule in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the building islimited only by width limitations prescribed for the highway over whichthe section is to be transported and the width limitations prescribed bythe design of the transporting vehicle.

The transverse building section or module can be transported readily ona tractor-trailer combination T as illustrated diagrammatically inFIGURE 18. This entire section may be any of the sections 3-1, 32, or 33to b assembled into the building structure. The entire sec tion, forexample the section 31, can be lifted bodily by a crane by loading ontothe trailer or removal therefrom. Racking or twisting will be precludedduring these operations since each section is a self-containedstructural unit as pointed out above.

The type of outer skin provided on each building section is not tooimportant provided it is sufliciently weather-resistant. Consequently,panels of various materials including plastic and glass may be used asthe wall will be a curtain-type wall rather than a load bearing wall.The details of the outer skin are not important and it will be apparentthat the outer skin of the roof will be carried by the outer or upperinclined chord members 55 and as indicated in FIGURE 4, this roof skinor deck may be sheets 8-1 of various materials. As previously indicated,these sheets need only be of sufiicient strength to support wind, snowor other roof loads and are not primarily designed to provide astructural connection between the adjacent truss units 45. The floor mayor may not have a lower skin but, if provided, it will be attached tothe lower chords and 69 of the depending sections 63 and 67,respectively, of the floor joists. For example, this skin may be in theform of sheets or panels 82 as shown in FTGURES 5 and 8. The outer skinfor the side walls, indicated generally at 83, may be attached either tothe inner vertical members 51 of the side columns 45 outwardly of theskin 8% or to the outer edges of the inclined chord members 52 of theside columns. Both arrangements are illustrated in FIGURE 5 of thedrawings, where a door panel 84 is shown at the inner edges of thecooperating side columns and a window panel 25 is shown at the outeredges of the cooperating side columns.

As previously indicated, end sections 34 and 35 are t provided for usein clamping the various sections 31, 32

and 33 together, as will later appear. The end sections are identicaland the particular construction'thereof is not too important as long aseach is capable of applying the necessary clamping pressure to theassociated main section and is of pleasing appearance. In general, theend section is of an outline corresponding substantially to the outlineof the peripheral edge of one of the building sections 31, 32 or 33.Thus, each end section includes the upper inclined portions 47a, theinclined side portions 46a, and the lower inclined portions 67a. Anadditional separate lower horizontal portion 63a may also be provided.In transverse cross-section, each of these clamping portions is in theform of a solid beam member as shown in FIGURES 6, 9 and or of a hollowbox girder. Any suitable material may be used for this end section.

For positioning between each end section and its associated module orbuilding section, an end wall panel or section 90 is provided. This endwall 93 may be of any suitable material and since it is not aload-supporting wall, it may be of the curtain-wall type. Thus, as shown'in FIGURES 5 and 7, this wall may be of the panel type and may havewindows or other openings 91 therein. A specific example of a suitablewall is illustrated in FIG- URE 16. Thus, the wall 99 may includeuprights or studding 92 of wood. The laterally spaced studding may havepanels 93 of diaphanous glass or plastic which are recessed betweenadjacent studs and are suitably held therein by clamping cleats 94. Thesolid part of the wall may be of inner and outer panels 95 and 96, theouter panels 96 being attached directly to the outer edges of the studsand the inner panels being recessed between the studs and held thereinby means of the cleats 97. This specific wall construction may also beused for the side walls of the main transverse building sections ifdesired.

Thus, the end wall unit is a wafer or section which can be pestionedbetween an end clamping section and a main section or module of thebuilding.

The sealing joints 36 to be used between the various sections 31, 32,33, 34, and may be of any suitable form capable of making the buildingstructure weather tight at the joints and capable of absorbing ordampening vibrations between the adjacent sections. A suitable form ofjoint is disclosed in FIGURES 9 to 12. With this arrangement, one ormore continuous compressible gaskets 100 of suitable material, such asrubber or plastic, are positioned (FIGURE 8) between the peripheralmembers of the adjacent trusses of the adjacent building sections beforethey are drawn together. This gasket is preferably of circularcross-section form (FIGURE 11) before being compressed and is offlattened oval cross-section (FIGURE 12) after being compressed.

The roof deck panels 81 at the joints 36 may be provided with upstandingflanges 101 at the edges thereof. These may be provided by metal anglessecured to the upper surfaces of the panels. A finish and closure strip102, preferably of metal, may he slipped over the flanges 191 and willtightly embrace them so as to be firmly held in place. The resultingjoint will appear as in FIGURE 1. Similar sealing joints will be used atthe outer joints in the side walls.

The floor joints may be constructed as shown in FIG- URE 17. Thus, asealing gasket 101a may be compressed between the chord members ofadjacent floor joists. The joint at the upper surface of the floorpanels may be provided with a finish joint-covering strip 193. Thisstrip may be fastened to the upper surface of one panel of the skin 30by the screws 104 and will extend freely over the upper surface of theadjacent panel. The same type of finish strip may be used in associationwith the joints between the ceiling panels of the inner skin 30 andbetween the joints of the side wall panels of the skin 80. Tile, carpet,or other fioor covering materials may be provided over the panels. Ifdesired, the sealing gasket may extend, as indicated in FIGURE 8,between the lower chord members of the floor joist and up around thebeams 37 and 38 between the yoke arms 64 and 68 and members 60 ofadjacent floor joists.

Assuming the various transverse building sections have been fabricatedas indicated and have been delivered to the building site bytruck-trailer combinations and assuming the beams 37 and 38 are set, theassembly of the building structure will proceed as follows. The sections31, 32 and 33 are lifted directly from the trailers and are set on thebeams 37 and 38. The manner in which each truss unit 45 of the variousbuilding sections 31, 32 and 33 will be positioned over and willcooperate with the beams 37 and 38 is indicated in FIGURES 14 and 15.Each yoke portion will slide over the cooperating beam, as indicated inFIGURE 14, with the arms 64 and 68 on opposite sides of the beams andsnugly contacting therewith. As the building section settles down on thebeams to its final position resting thereon, the floor truss chordmembers 69 will rest on the upper edges thereof and support the buildingsection as shown in FIGURE 15. The Weight of each section will normallyhold the section in position on the beams 37 and 38 but to guard againstupward displacement by hurricane type winds, cleats or strips 105 may beprovided. These strips may be of metal and will be extended across andbeneath the beams 37 and 33 and their opposite ends will be rigidlyfastened to the respective chord members 65 and 69. Thus, they engagethe lower edges of the beams 37 and 38 and resist upward littin g of thebuilding section.

The sections 31, 32, and 33 are positioned on the beams 37 and 38 in thecorrect order, as indicated in FIG- URE 5, in slightly spacedrelationship. The end wall panels 5 3 are positioned between the section31 and end section 34 and between the section 33 and end section 35. Thesections 31, 32 and 33 will be slidably resting at this time on thebeams 37 and 33. The end wall panels 90 will have yoke portions (notshown) which slidably fit over the beams 37 and 38 like the yokeportions of the sections 31, 32 and 33. The end sections 34 and 35 maybe suitably supported in alignment with the associated end sections 34and 35 at this time. To slidably move these sections into thecooperative relationship indicated in FIGURE 7 and to clamp them in suchrelationship, the cable arrangements shown in FIGURES 6, 9 and 10 may beprovided.

At various locations spaced around each of the various building sectionsadjacent the peripheral edges thereof, are cable-receiving openings 110.When the various sections are in alignment, these openings are inalignment to provide the angularly spaced sets of longitudinallyextending openings, each set being adapted to receive a tension cable111 extending completely through the house. Suitable means is providedfor applying tension to this cable 111 to draw the various sectionstogether so as to compress the gaskets of the various sealing joints andto hold the sections in cooperative weathertight relationship.

One means of tensioning the cable 111 is shown in FIGURE 6 and includesa hook 112 which hooks into an eye 113 in the end of the cable. Thishook is arranged at the end section 34 and the opposite end of the cablewill be suitably anchored to the other end section 35. This hook mayextend through the aligning openings in the section 31, end wall panel99, and end section 34. At the outer edge of the section 34, it may beprovided with a socket 114 opening outwardly and communicating at itsinner end with the opening 110. The end of the hook is threaded and isdisposed in this socket and receives a tensioning nut 115. Between awasher 116 movably mounted on the hook joist inside the nut is acompression spring 117 which engages the inner end of the socket 114. Byadjusting the nut 115, proper tension may be applied to the cable 111 topull the various sections into tight engagement. The spring 117 willthereafter permit expansion and contraction of the building structuresdue to temperature or other atmospheric coning beam to distribute theload applied by the angularly ditions. Each section 34 or 35 willfunction as a clampspaced cables 111 evenly around the gasketedperimeter of the assembled building structure. It will be noted that apair of the gaskets 1% is provided at the outer side of the end wallpanel 90, the gaskets of the pair being located above and below the hook112 to prevent tilting of the beam 34 when the cables are drawn uptightly.

A similar arrangement is shown in FIGURES 9 and 10 but in this case, thecable itself may be of material of suriicient elasticity to permitexpansion and contraction, such as nylon. In this instance, it willmerely be necessary to provide a collar 115a in the socket 11 throughwhich the cable 111 can be pulled to tension it and which willautomatically grip the cable to hold it in tensioned condition; FIGURE 9shows the cable 111 before tensioning with the sections separated andFIGURE 10 shows the sections af er they are drawn together to compressthe gaskets at the various joints between the sections.

With the sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 90 clamped together asindicated, the building structure will remain weathertight even thoughrelative expansion and contraction of the sections along the beams 37and 38 is possible. Each truss unit 45 will function so that any loadapplied to the roof will result in a compressive force on the cantileverarms 47 which will be transmitted to the bent type side columns 46. Aload on the roof deck results in t nsion on the chord member 55 and thisis transmitted through compression struts 57 to the chord 56 which willbe in compression. Strut 53 will be in compression as will column member51. Column member 52 will be in tension because of the upward pullthereon by the chord 55. Spree. ing the lower ends of the columns willbe precluded by the continuous floor joist chord members 66 vhich willbe placed under tension. This will exert downward forces at the outerends of the chord members 6%) of the floor joist portions of the unitwhich will be transmitted inwardly through the chord members 69 to thelower ends of the yoke arms 68. Consequently, end beam 37 or 33 will begripped between the yoke arms 64- and 68. Thus, ordinarily roof loadsand floor loads outwardly of the beams 37 and 38 will produce a grippingaction of the building sections on the beams 37 and 38. Any unusual orabnormal winds, such as hurricane winds, acting against the house andtending to lift it, will be resisted by the cleats or strips 165engaging the lower edges of the beams 37 and 38. The truss units 4-5 ofeach building section 31, 32, and 33 are joined together structurallymainly by means of the inner skin 86 which is rigidly connected to theinner members of the truss unit. Thus, each section 31, 3'2, and 33 is acomplete load-sustaining structure in itself, requiring no derivedstructural benefit from the adjacent sections.

it will be apparent from the above that my invention provides for abuilding structure which is composed of standardized or segmentizedtransverse sections or modules which in the final assembly are clampedtogether in cooperative weathertight relationship. Any number of thesesections may be used in the building and sections can be readily addedor removed. The sections are so supported by the longitudinallyextending beams that little site preparation is required. Each sectionis structurally complete in itself so that handling without racking ispossible in delivering and installing each section. Also, the structureof each section is such that when it is assembled in the building, itwill adequately withstand forces developed by various weather and otherconditions even though they may be unusual. Furthermore, each section iscushioned from any adjacent section so that vibration and/ or noise willnot be transmitted from one section to the other. The basic transversetruss unit of each build ing section can be manufactured readily at ashop or factory and a section can be made from a plurality of theseunits at the same location. Each section may be complete as to interiorand exterior finish so little work at the site is necessary. Thus,maximum ethciency and minimum cost can be obtained. Ease of assembly atthe site, modification by removal or addition of sections, or completeremoval and relocation of the entire structure result from my invention.

Although I have brought out many advantages of my structure, otheradvantages will be readily apparent.

Having thus described invention, what I claim is:

l. A composite transverse truss unit for a building structure comprisinga pair of side-supporting columns, a cantilever arm supported by each ofsaid columns and extending inwardly therefrom, a floor joist including acontinuous member connected to the lower ends of said side columns, saidfloor joist having downwardly opening yokes spaced on opposite sides ofthe midpoint thereof and inwardly of the respective ends thereof forreceiving supporting beams extending at an angle to said continuousmember, each yoke having an inner arm defined by a central bracestructure depending from said continuous memher, said brace structureincluding a continuous chord member having its outer ends connected tothe lower ends of the inner yoke arms, and each yoke having an outer armdefined by a brace structure at each end of said continuous member, saidlast-named brace structure including a continuous angularly disposedchord member having its outer end connected to said continuous memberand its inner end connected to the lower end of the cooperating outeryoke arm.

2. A composite transverse truss unit according to claim 1 in which eachof the supporting columns is of the bent type having an inner verticallydisposed compression member and an outer tension member connected at itslower end to the lower end of said compression member and divergingoutwardly toward its upper end where it is connected to the outer end ofthe cooperating cantilever arm.

3. A composite transverse truss unit according to claim 2 in which eachof said cantilever arms includes an upper tension chord havin its outerend connected to said upper end of said outer tension member of thecooperating column and a lower compression chord having its outer endconnected to the upper end of said column compression member.

4. A truss unit according to claim 3 including struts between the chordsof each of said cantilever arms and struts between the inner and outermembers of the columns, said struts including a compression memberextending between the joint formed by the connection of said cantileverarm compression member and said column compression member and the jointformed by the connection of said cantilever arm tension member and saidcolumn tension member.

5. A truss unit according to claim 4 in which the cantilever arms are oftriangular form with the chord members of each converging at their innerends but being spaced at their outer ends, said inner ends beingadjacent and in alignment with each other, the upper chord membersslanting downwardly from an apex point at their inner ends.

6. A composite transverse truss unit for a building structure comprisinga pair of side-supporting columns, a cantilever arm supported by each ofsaid columns and extending inwardly therefrom to a midpoint where thearms meet, a floor joist including a continuous member connected to thelower ends of said side columns, said an outer depending brace portionat each end which in cludes an inwardly and downwardly angledcompression chord member rigidly connected. at its outer end to saidcontinuous tension member and at its inner end to the cooperating outeryoke arm depending from said continuous member. 7

7. In a building structure, a composite transverse truss unit, means forsupporting said truss unit comprising a plurality oflongitudinally-extending transversely spaced supporting beams, saidtruss unit comprising a pair of side-supporting columns, a cantileverarm supported by each of said columns and extending inwardly therefrom,a floor joist including a continuous member connected to and supportingthe lower ends of said side columns, said floor joist having downwardlyopening yokes spaced on opposite sides of the midpoint thereof andinwardly of the respective ends thereof and fitting over the respectivesupporting beams, each yoke having an inner arm defined by a centralbrace structure depending from said con tinuous member, said bracestructure including a continuous chord member having its outer endsconnected to the lower ends of the inner yoke arms, and each yoke havingan outer arm defined by a brace structure at each end of said continuousmember, said last-named brace structure including a continuous angularlydisposed chord member having its outer end connected to said continuousmember and its inner end connected to the lower end of the cooperatingouter yoke arm.

8. In a building structure, a composite transverse truss unit, means forsupporting said truss unit comprising a plurality oflongitudinally-extending transversely spaced supporting beams, saidtruss unit comprising a pair of side-supporting columns, a cantileverarm supported by each of said columns and extending inwardly therefrom,a floor joist including a continuous member connected to and supportingthe lower ends of said side columns, said floor joist having downwardlyopening yokes spaced on opposite sides of the midpoint thereof andinwardly of the respective ends thereof and fitting over the respectivesupporting beams, each of the supporting columns being of the bent typehaving an inner vertically disposed compression member and an outertension member connected at its lower end to the lower end of saidcompression member and diverging outwardly toward its upper end where itis connected to the outer end of the cooperating cantilever arm.

9. Structure according to claim 8 in which each of said cantilever armsincludes an upper tension chord having its outer end connected to saidupper end of said outer tension member of the cooperating column and alower compression chord having its outer end connected to the upper endof said column compression member.

10. Structure according to claim 9 including struts between the chordsof each of said cantilever arms and struts between the inner and outermembers of the columns, said struts including a compression memberextending between the joint formed by the connection of said cantileverarm compression member and said column compression member and the jointformed by the connection of said cantilever arm tension member and saidcolumn tension member.

11. Structure according to claim 10 in which the cantilever arms are oftriangular form with the chord members of each converging at their innerends but being spaced at their outer ends, said inner ends beingadjacent and in alignment with each other, the upper chord membersslanting downwardly from an apex point at their inner ends.

12. In a building structure, a composite transverse truss unit, meansfor supporting said truss unit comprising a plurality oflongitudinally-extending transversely spaced supporting beams, saidtruss unit comprising a pair of side-supporting columns, a cantileverarm supported by each of said columns and extending inwardly therefromto a midpoint where the arms meet, a floor joist including a continuousmember connected to and supporting the lower ends of said side columns,said floor joist having a pair of yoke spaced at each side of themidpoint thereof spaced inwardly from the respective ends thereof andpositioned over the respective supporting beams, said floor joistincluding a depending central brace structure having a compression chordextending between two inner yoke arms depending from said continuousmember, said floor joist also including an outer depending brace portionat each end which includes an inwardly and downwardly angled compressionchord member rigidly connected at its outer end to said continuousmember and at its inner end to the cooperating outer yoke arm dependingfrom said continuous member.

13. A building structure comprising a plurality of transverse sectionssupported on a plurality of longitudinally extending, transverselyspaced supporting beams, each of said sections including a plurality ofcomposite transverse truss units spaced longitudinally relatively andjoined together structurally, each of said truss units comprising a pairof side-supporting columns, a cantilever arm supported by each of saidcolumns and extending inwardly therefrom, a floor joist including acontinuous member connected to and supporting the lower ends of saidside columns, said floor joist having downwardly opening yokes spaced onopposite sides of the midpoint thereof and inwardly of the respectiveends thereof and fitting over the respective supporting beams, each yokehaving an inner arm defined by a central brace structure depending fromsaid continuous member, said brace structure including a continuouschord member having its outer ends connected to the lower ends of theinner yoke arms, and each yoke having an outer arm defined by a bracestructure at each end of said continuous member, said last-named bracestructure including a continuous angularly disposed chord member havingits outer end connected to said continuous member and its inner endconnected to the lower end of the cooperating outer yoke arm.

14. Structure according to claim 13 in which each of the supportingcolumns is of the bent type having an inner vertically disposedcompression member and an outer tension member connected at its lowerend to the lower end of said compression member and diverging outwardlytoward its upper end where it is connected to the outer end of thecooperating cantilever arm.

15. A building structure comprising a plurality of transverse sectionssupported on a plurality of longitudinally extending, transverselyspaced supporting beams, each of said sections including a plurality ofcomposite transverse truss units spaced longitudinally relatively andjoined together structurally, each of said truss units comprising a pairof side-supporting columns, a cantilever arm supported by each of saidcolumns and extending inwardly therefrom, a floor joist including acontinuous member connected to and supporting the lower ends of saidside columns, said floor joist having downwardly opening yokes spaced onopposite sides of the midpoint thereof and inwardly of the respectiveends thereof and fitting over the respective supporting beams, saidsupporting columns being of the bent type having an inner verticallydisposed compression member and an outer tension member connected at itslower end to the lower end of said compression member and divergingoutwardly toward its upper end where it is connected to the outer end ofthe cooperating cantilever arm, each of said cantilever arms includes anupper tension chord having its outer end connected to said upper end ofsaid outer tension member of the cooperating column and a lowercompression chord having its outer end connected to the upper end ofsaid column compression member.

16. Structure according to claim 15 including struts between the chordsof each of said cantilever arms and struts between the inner and outermembers of the columns, said struts including a compression memberextending between the joint formed by the connection of said cantileverarm compression member and said column compression member and the jointformed by the connection of said cantilever arm tension member and saidcolumn tension member.

17. Structure according to claim 6 in which the cantilever arms are oftriangular form with the chord members of each converging at their innerends but being spaced at their outer ends, said inner end-s beingadjacent and in alignment with each other, the upper chord membersslanting downwardly from an apex point at their inner ends.

18. Structure according to claim 13 in which the truss units of eachsection are joined together by an inner skin extending longitudinallyand connected to said units.

19. A building structure comprising a plurality of transverse sectionssupported on a plurality of longitudinally extending, transverselyspaced supporting beams, each of said sections including a plurality ofcomposite transverse truss units spaced longitudinally relatively andjoined together structurally, each of said truss units comprising a pairof side-supporting columns, a cantilever arm supported by each of saidcolumns and extending inwardly therefrom, a floor joist including acontinuous member connected to and supporting the lower ends of saidside columns, said floor joist having downwardly opening yokes spaced onopposite sides of the midpoint thereof and inwardly of the respectiveends thereof and fitting over the respective supporting beams, and meansprovided for preventing lifting of the sections from the supportingbeams, said means including members secured to the lower ends of theyokes and extending beneath said beams.

20. Structure according to claim 19 including joints between the varioussections having compressible gaskets therein for sealing and sounddampening.

21. Structure according to claim 20 including means for drawing all ofsaid sections into cooperation to compress said gaskets, said meansincluding tension members extending longitudinally through all of saidsections.

22. Structure according to claim 21 in which said tension memberscomprise cables which flexibly hold said sections together to permitrelative expansion and contraction.

23. Structure according to claim 22 including end clamping beams whichengage the endmost sections and are pulled thereagainst by said cableswhich have their ends connected thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,397,976 11/21McAvoy 20-2 2,542,859 2/51 Clements 20l FOREIGN PATENTS 249,5 81 5/48Switzerland.

68,111 11/48 Denmark.

959,482 10/49 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No,3,156,018 November 1O 1964 John H, Slayter It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 13, line 1 for the claim reference numeral "6" read 16 --q Signedand sealed this 30th day of March 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER' EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A COMPOSITE TRANSVERSE TRUSS UNIT FOR A BUILDING STRUCTURE COMPRISINGA PAIR OF SIDE-SUPPORTING COLUMNS, A CANTILEVER ARM SUPPORTED BY EACH OFSAID COLUMNS AND EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM, A FLOOR JOIST INCLUDING ACONTINUOUS MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID SIDE COLUMNS, SAIDFLOOR JOIST HAVING DOWNWARDLY OPENING YOKES SPACED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OFTHE MIDPOINT THEREOF AND INWARDLY OF THE RESPECTIVE ENDS THEREOF FORRECEIVING SUPPORTING BEAMS EXTENDING AT AN ANGLE TO SAID CONTINUOUSMEMBER, EACH YOKE HAVING AN INNER ARM DEFINED BY A CENTRAL BRACESTRUCTURE DEPENDING FROM SAID CONTINOUS MEMBER, SAID BRACE STRUCTUREINCLUDING A CONTINOUS CHORD MEMBER HAVING ITS OUTER ENDS CONNECTED TOTHE LOWER ENDS OF THE INNER YOKE ARMS, AND EACH YOKE HAVING AN OUTER ARMDEFINED BY A BRACE STRUCTURE AT EACH END OF SAID CONTINOUS MEMBER, SAIDLAST-NAMED BRACE STRUCTURE INCLUDING A CONTINOUS ANGULARLY DISPOSEDCHORD MEMBER HAVING ITS OUTER END CONNECTED TO SAID CONTINOUS MEMBER ANDITS INNER END CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF THE COOPERATING OUTER YOKEARM.